Q&A for How to Stop Mumbling and Speak Clearly

This often happens when you are short of breath. You may be holding your breath unwittingly, out of anxiety or social fear. Practice taking long deep breaths. The key is not to focus on what you're doing wrong but on what you can do better.

Take a deep breath before speaking and stay hydrated. If you are teenager, your voice may be cracking because of hormone changes.

Think of it just as what it is -- a job interview that you've prepared well for -- and not as a matter of life and death. People get stressed when they give something too much importance in their mind and think about what would happen if they fail it. Decrease the importance of the event in your mind (after you are done with preparing for it) -- you won't be nervous at all and you'll shine fine.

Relax and slow down. Follow the guidelines in the article. It takes practice to have a clear voice.

Try speaking from your diaphragm instead of your throat. Put your hand on your stomach. Breathe in so your stomach moves instead of your chest, and use that air to speak. Actors use this technique a lot so they can be heard by the distant audience without tiring out their voices. It's difficult to understand and master at first, but there are plenty of resources for singers and actors that can explain it better.

This is a speech impediment called rhotacism. Check out How to Pronounce R's for some tips to help you pronounce R's. If you continue to have trouble, consider seeing a speech-language pathologist (speech therapist).

Speak slowly and possinly try having a few bullet points as a quick reminder. Try sticking to key important facts so as to not ramble and make mistakes.

Speak more slowly, open your mouth wider, and place more emphasis on enunciating your words. Consider seeing a speech therapist if you continue to have difficulty.

Speak up and be confident. Try to listen to what you're saying, to learn from your mistakes.

You can speak in clusters. For example, for the sentence, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog," you would say, "The quick brown fox | jumps over | the lazy dog." This is just an example of the clusters you could do; you can separate your words in any way you want.

Believe in yourself and the idea you're presenting to people. Don't be shy and speak in a clear voice. And, say it by looking straight into their eyes.

Record yourself talking and listen back to it. If you can't hear yourself from your recording, then that's what your friend or partner will probably hear. Slowly 'amp' up your voice until you can hear every word you say (or the majority) of them all clearly. If you need to speak in a quiet voice, don't worry if you need to repeat yourself, or if you're asked to.

Sometimes when you stammer, it might mean you're talking too fast, try speaking a little more slowly.

Take a deep breath and think about what you want to say. Then, relax and breathe while you are speaking and it will come naturally.

If you want to hear less than you're currently hearing, muffle the sound with ear plugs or a hat that covers your ears.

Try speaking slower, or even louder. Also, it will help if you record yourself talking and listen back to it. This will help to correct any errors while speaking.

Speak more slowly, open your mouth wider, and place more emphasis on pronouncing your words.

This often happens when you are short of breath. You may be holding your breath unwittingly, out of anxiety. Practice taking long deep breaths. The key is not to focus on what you're doing wrong but on what you can do better.

You must practice your tongue, so that instead of thinking of the words, you can speak spontaneously.

Slow down and think about what you are going to say. It helps me to actually picture the words in my mind.

You might have a speech disorder. Cluttering is a speech disorder where the person talks fast, mumbles, and is hard to understand. You may want to consult a speech therapist.

This is probably because you're nervous. Take a deep breath, make appropriate eye contact and speak confidently. Try not to speak for a long time continuously, taking short breaks in between so you can breathe.

Ask questions about them. Ask them how work or school are going. Ask them if they're doing anything special over the weekend. Ask them about their other friends/family. Make sure you listen to their responses, and ask follow-up questions if appropriate. The key to being able to have effortless conversation is practice. If you avoid talking to people, you'll never get better at it.

If you are trying to get your two cents in and people aren't listening, try waiting for a gap in conversation and speak clearly and loud.You will get your point across.

Try doing the vocal exercises discussed above. Additionally, practice giving speeches to help you get better at it. If you feel like you still need help, working with a speech coach or joining a public speaking organization like Toastmasters might help you make big improvements to your speaking skills.

It may help to take a few deep breaths before you answer. Also, picture yourself having a successful conversation. As another option, you might get caller ID so you call people back when you feel more calm.

You may need to have patience with them. If you don't think they know about the issue, sit them down and have a kind conversation about the fact that you're having trouble understanding them. You might say, "Sometimes it's hard for me to understand what you're saying, and I really want to hear every word. Would it be possible for you to raise your voice and slow down?" Keep in mind that they may be struggling with a speech disorder, and it's important to be supportive of their efforts to communicate.

Doing voice exercises may help. However, it's best to talk to their school to find out if speech therapy is available. This can help them improve faster with targeted help.

Practice doing some relaxation techniques like deep breathing or visualization. Then, do these when you start to feel nervous so that you can calm down. Additionally, it helps to practice what you want to say or make notes ahead of time so you feel prepared.

Just before you're going in front of other people, shake your hands, legs, and all the other parts of your body. It helps a lot to release tension. Do not forget to calm down mentally. Tell yourself that you are presenting to your friends who you know very well (even if you're not). Take slow, deep breaths and just do your best.